A mentor is not a coach, not a psychologist, and not a ticket to your  professional future. He/She is a professional who has experience that should help you with your case. A mentor gives advice, shares experience, materials and helps develop a plan to achieve professional goals. In the IT industry, mentors are most often IT directors and CIOs, with many years of experience and a significant portfolio of large-scale successful and unsuccessful projects. It is a mentor's value – the ability to go through successes, difficult situations and readiness to share knowledge and experience with others.

A mentor is a person who gives answers to your request. The task of mentoring is to help solve your question/task professionally and provide examples from personal experience. If you are planning a career change, starting a new business or want to achieve greater results, a mentor will help you create a road map for development and get an effective result. But don't forget that the final result still depends on you.

A lot of us try to solve a professional question or task alone, having neither experience nor knowledge in this situation. What does this lead to? Poor performance, wasted time, financial and reputational losses for the company or a person. To avoid such situations, it's better to turn to professionals who already have experience and can immediately point you in the right direction.

• First of all, choose a mentor in your professional field/industry.

• Search information about the company where the mentor works and understand the experience and level of your mentor.

• Ask about the mentor's certifications and awards. This is a confirmation that your mentor is a recognized professional.

1. Lack of a clear request to your mentor

In order for your consultation to be effective, you need to prepare. Before meeting with the mentor, send specific and clear questions that you can get an answer to. Effective session means a clear description of the case.

2. Lack of purpose and specific goals of the meeting

If you plan to work with a specific mentor for a long time, then it is worth telling the mentor about your final goals. This will help you see the full picture and the result of your joint work.

3. Lack of responsibility

A mentor is not a coach who gives you homework and you must report. If nobody controls you and doesn’t follow your process, then don’t look for a thousand reasons why you get a fail result. Be responsible for yourself first.

4. Passive participation in sessions or one-way communication

Ask questions, even if they seem a little silly to you. Your mentor is your friend, mentor and helper. Be honest and open, actively interact with the mentor.

Don't forget that IT is the field where you need to constantly know all the news, new technologies and innovations. So, here are some tips to stay afloat:

• You need to know about the main news in your field and be interested in events that can benefit you.

• Read current articles and news, because everything changes very quickly.

• Be interested in the experience and projects of your colleagues and partners and continue building your professional network.